Putting your Crafts to Good Use

Volunteer your time at home and make crafty things for others!

This past summer I moved to Chicago and I immediately went to raverly to see what Chicago might have to offer. And thus I came across one singularly amazing group: "The ForeFront Stitchers"

Here, at the University of Chicago, is a group of crafters, both crocheting and knitting, who gather together to make beautiful items for the hospitals. This group makes baby blankets for parents adopting new children and chemo caps for those who need them. Right now they are currently collecting scarves to help people stay warm during the cold winters of Chicago.

Still getting warmed up, to date I have completed only one scarf and almost 1 blanket. Technically the blanket has been "done" for over a month but as it generated approximately 800 loose ends, it is taking me quite sometime to get them all tied in. By monday though, I will add two more scarves to the list. One is currenlty about 30 inches long, and the other is yet to be started. 

I encourage you to find similar groups in your area, or start your own! hospitals are always a good place to look if you are starting your own, or places of religion or shelters. This is a wonderful way to make what you do everyday into somebody else's happy day.

January Pattern of the Month

Tasty treats to generate smiles instead of calories

© Hannah Kaminsky http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com

I must say, this pattern is the exact reason that I learned to crochet, though I do not recall how I originally stumbled across this genius piece of art.

The entire pattern can be completed using only the slip stitch and single crochet stitch. The hardest part is crocheting in only the back loops, but it is only for a minuscule part of the pattern. In retrospect, I think even the back loops would be easy, but at the time, I was new to crocheting.

Supersaver yarn will more than suffice and it requires so little yarn that this pattern is great for using up scraps!

It is an excellent beginners pattern, light and refreshing!

Holee-Bee Scarf

I technically created this scarf pattern a year ago, as a hanukkah gift for my brother. The particular scarf showcased here is for donation.
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© Designs by Ashbug

Product Description: As mentioned here, the yarn for this scarf was donated and the final product will be returned to the club on campus that is collecting them.

This pattern can be accomplished with basic knowledge of sc, dc, and chaining.

The pattern can be purchased on both etsy and ravelry for $5.00.

© Designs by Ashbug

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December Pattern of the Month

Each month, I will hand select a pattern that I think is especially beautiful, spunky, or random.

© Karla Fitch

This month, I would like to feature an "Angry Bird" pattern. For those of you who have not yet downloaded Angry Birds onto your phone, you should do so immediately. The premise of the game is that pigs have stolen the birds eggs and the birds are angry. The now "angry birds" are sling shotted across the screen to destroy the pigs. Make sure your sound is on, as the sound effects are just hilarious.

This is a crochet pattern using a size E hook. Unfortunately you will need a ravelry account to view the pattern, but a direct link to the pattern can be found here

This pattern requires only the following stitches:

Chain

Single Crochet

Decrease

Pretty Projects

As every crafter knows, UFO stands not only for Unidentified Flying Objects, but also for Un-Finished Objects. In an effort to complete my UFOs, I have restricted myself to the following 5 projects until their completion.

My current endeavors include 1 sewing project, 2 crochet projects, and 2 knitting projects.

1. A Challah Cover - self designed.

Basic Description: My husband, who studies the bible for a living, helped me design a pattern for the hebrew letters, which read "Shabbat Shalom." The pattern was completed using tunisian stitch, a particular kind of crochet that requires a specific crochet hook. This website contains step by step instructions, with pictures, to orchestrate the tunisian stitch.

What's missing: I have purchased some blue fabric to sew to the back of this challah cover in order to refine my edges and add that something extra. I have a date with my sewing machine on December 24th and hope to complete this project at that time.

Review: In the future, should I repeat this project, I will make the entire project much larger.

2. A Scarf for Donation - self designed.

Basic description: a group at the hospital where I work is collecting scarves for donation. Scarves are due on January 12th. I picked up enough yarn to make a single scarf and used a pattern similar to the one I designed for my brother's scarf one year ago. Entirely crocheted, this project consists of single crochet, double crochet, and "loops" (self-defined).

What's missing: this scarf currently measures 32 inches. The required minimum for donation is 4.5 feet or 54 inches. Due to the color pattern selected, the finished project will be greater than 60 inches.

Review: I am very happy with this pattern and have finished two scarves previously using this pattern, one for my little cousin J, and one for my brother.

3. Scarf for my cousin P - Using "Extra Warm Men's Scarf" by Cotton and Cloud Shop

Basic Information: Using supersaver yarn, and this pattern originally found on ravelry, I am created an orange and blue scarf at the request of a younger cousin. This is only my third ever knitting project (my first being a sock and the second being a similar scarf for my husband for hanukkah) and as such it is very slow going.

What's missing: This project currently measures. As my cousin is roughly 5 feet tall, I would like to make this a minimum of 5 feet in length.

Review: I absolutely love this pattern. It is certainly tricky and takes quite a bit of wrist twisting, but it knits up into a beautiful pattern. My wrist and forearm get sore after working on the project for more than about an hour at one time. I have yet to determine if this is a fault of knitting in general or the very tricky MK stitch used.

4. Warm Hat - Using "Delight" by DROPS design

Basic information: Again, I originally found this pattern on raverly. I started with a set of 5 US size 2 double pointed needles. Starting with the rim, this project is worked in the round beginning with a basic rib pattern.

What's missing: this project currently measures just under 2 cm.

Review: In retrospect, this would be a lot easier on circular needles, as the pattern recommends. I am finding it difficult to keep 170 sitches on these needles without dropping any stitches. The yarn itself is less soft than I had anticipated and hope that my husband will enjoy the finished product.

5. Baby Blanket for Donation -Using "Baby Checks Blanket" by Coats and Clark

Basic information: This pattern uses single, double and triple crochet. Each square measures approximately 4 by 4 inches prior to stitching together.

What's missing: All that is left to do is tie in all the loose ends.

Review: This incredibly beautiful blanket was very easy to whip up. My main comment would be to make sure you tie in your ends as you go. The blanket generates well over 100 loose ends. My second comment concerns the method used to join the squares. I used this method to join my granny squares because it was suggested that it would survive many washes. However, I do not like the way it bunched up the granny squares and upon further searching, I have discovered this method to join granny squares. My next blanket will use this method. In fact, I think the entire blanket used in that tutorial is beautiful and thus it may be my next blanket. Here is the tutorial for the granny squares in that blanket.